How to Clean Fuse Box Terminals? [Easiest Way!]

Let’s assume you are planning a highway trip with your car. In the morning you notice that the car isn’t getting started. This is because the fuse box terminal is jammed.

Now, the question you’ll get in mind is how to clean fuse box terminals properly?

Well, you can easily do that. Firstly, you just need to shut off all the electrical power. Next, pull out the fuse from the terminal and spray electrical conductor cleaner. Then scrub the fuse and terminal with an old toothbrush or emery cloth. Lastly, use anti-corrosion lubricant all over the surface.

Too little info, right? Well, we have discussed the whole process in detail. Just move along with us. So that, you can save your time not being in a maze.

Why Did the Fuse Box Terminal Get Jammed?

A fuse box terminal is basically used to protect the feed through connection with a different fuse. So yeah it’s a pretty important part in your vehicle.

Now, this fuse box terminal can get dirty overtime. And this makes it difficult to function. This can later cause your car to malfunction.

But before cleaning the dirty or jammed fuse box terminal, you should do one thing. And that’s knowing how it actually occurred.

This way you can avoid this matter in the future. This little trick is beneficial in the case of fixing brake issues of Chevy HHR too.

So, we’ve mentioned the reasons for a jammed fuse box terminal below-

Putting the car in wet or moist weather may cause this.
Sometimes external dirt can create this situation.
Corrosion can also be a reason.

Most of the cases it is seen that old car owners face this problem more. But this problem can be fixed very easily without any professional help.

6 Steps on How to Clean Corroded Car Fuse Box

So, let’s clean the fuse box terminal. We have gathered all the tools and techniques you need. So that, you can avoid all the hassle.

Things You Need to Gather First:

Old toothbrush to scrub the corrosion.
Emery clothes to clean deep.
Electrical Conductor cleaner which will help to remove dirt easily.
A flat screwdriver to get fuses out from the terminal.
Anti-corrosion lubricant to prevent corrosion in future.

51-piece precision nut and screwdriver set can be your helping hand here. CRAFTSMAN screwdriver set can also be a good option.

Once you’ve got the tools, you can follow the step below-

Step 1: Shut Off All the Electrical Power

As it is an electrical part of your car, you should be cautious. It is really necessary to cut off all electrical power. So that, you don’t harm yourself while cleaning.

Step 2: Pull Off The Fuse and Inspect The Condition

A fuse box terminal can hold one or more fuses. Before cleaning those you need to see why it has got jammed. Most of the time dirt absorbs moisture and gets clotted all over the terminal.

So you need to pull off the fuse so that you can see how much dirt gathered there. And you can find how much cleaner you need to put in.

Step 3: Use Electrical Conductor Cleaner

To remove the dirt, spray an electrical conductor cleaner like CRC 05103 QD or Hosa D5S-6 CAIG. After the dirt gets a bit soft, scrub it with an old toothbrush.

You can also use emery clothes to scrub it. You don’t need to scrub it hard. But scrub until all the dirt moves out.

Step 4: Clean Inside The Holder with Emery Cloth

You can spray the electrical conductor cleaner inside the holder as well. Now, it’ll be difficult to clean inside the holder with the brush. That’s why you need to clean it with emery cloth.

For your convenience you can use Mercer Industries or Abrasive Paper as well.

Step 5: Apply Anti-Corrosion Lubricant Inside and Surface

As the holder is made of metal it’s obvious to get corrosion. So, you must put anti-corrosion lubricant very well inside and outside the holder. That will prevent corrosion and save the fuse from getting jammed soon.

Step 6: Put The Fuse Inside The Holder

By this time you are already finished with the cleaning process. Now, you have to put all the fuse in the holder again.

And that’s it! You’re all done with the cleaning process!

2 Safety Tips on How to Clean Car Fuses

Now, fixing the issue shouldn’t be your only concern. You should also keep in mind a few necessary things. These will help you safely and properly to the task.

So, the 2 things to prevent any unnecessary issues while the cleaning process are-

Use a small emery cloth while cleaning the holder to avoid waste.
Use gloves. This will save your hand from getting cut.

Make sure to follow these two things. Especially the second one. Because cut from corroded or rusty metal can lead to septic.

FAQs

How do I know if my fuse box is bad?

When the electricity gets overloaded, it can blow the fuse box. Which will disconnect all the associated devices. This is the most common sign of a bad fuse box. Bad fuse boxes get burnt easily when they can’t hold the electric pressure.

Do fuses have a lifespan?

Generally, we can expect 10 years of lifespan from a fuse if the electrical force is normal. But electrical overload can damage the fuse earlier than it’s lifespan.

Can I clean the fuse box with wd40?

Yes, you can clean the fuse box with wd40 as it is an electronic cleaner. And it is considered as one of the best electrical cleaners in the market.

Conclusion

We hope by now you’ve already got a proper idea how to clean fuse box terminals. We request you to follow all the instructions step by step. And we can promise it won’t take long to complete the total process.

Hope this article will help you to save your time and money. Stay safe!

Author
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Robert Lozano

My name is Robert Lozano, and I am an automotive enthusiast and author. A great passion for engineering has fueled my desire to share my skills and educate others on challenging engineering terms and topics. Thanks to our readers, I am currently receiving a lot of nice feedback. While writing an article, I am always learning and assessing myself.